Disc case booklet

ABSTRACT

A booklet including a first page having a first height; a second page connected to the first page and having a second height less than the first height; and a spine defining a line around which the second page can be rotated, wherein the first height is such that the booklet can be disposed with respect to a disc case cover having a cover face, a cover tab having a first surface facing the cover face, a first cover edge, and a second cover edge opposite the first cover edge, the distance between the cover edges being substantially equal to the first height, so as to have its first page lie substantially flat between the cover face and the first surface and its second page capable of rotating around the line while remaining substantially flat and without the second page contacting the cover tab.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to the manufacturing of compact discs and similar media, in particular to the manufacturing of booklets for insertion into cases for such media.

BACKGROUND

Compact discs (CDs), CD-ROMs, CD-Rs, and digital video discs (DVDs), have become popular media in recent years for the delivery of content as they are of high capacity, non-volatile, and relatively durable. These discs are typically delivered to their users in rigid cases, these cases being designed to protect the disc, and to provide a means for pairing a small booklet or similar publication with the disc for delivery to the user.

Disc cases are typically designed with a transparent case cover provided with small tabs or protrusions along its top and bottom edges. This case cover is typically hinged at to the part of the case having an indentation and center mount to receive the disc. A booklet, typically being thin enough to fit flat with its front cover visible through the case cover face is slipped between the tabs and the case cover face and kept from sliding out by front and back ridges formed into the cover.

This arrangement has the disadvantage that when the booklet is inserted into the case, only the front and back covers of the booklet are visible to the user. In order to view the printed matter in the interior of the booklet, the booklet must be removed from the case. This can be inconvenient, especially if the booklet is fairly thick and wedged tightly between the tabs and cover face in which case the booklet must be bent into tight contact against the tabs in order to extract it over the ridges. In any case, with each removal of the booklet, the edges of the booklet can suffer wear against the tabs or cover edges. In addition, once the booklet is removed from the case, there is a danger of misplacement of the booklet—a serious thing if the booklet contains vital or interesting information about the content of its associated disc.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments are illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like references indicate similar elements and in which:

FIG. 1 shows a detail view of a disc case that can be used to store a disc booklet according to example embodiments.

FIG. 2 shows a detail view of the corner of a disc case cover including a cover tab that can be used to store a disc booklet according to example embodiments.

FIG. 3 shows a booklet suitable for insertion into a disc case, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 4 shows a booklet suitable for insertion into a disc case as it would be viewed in its closed state and placed into a case, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 5 shows a booklet of two pages in its open or unfolded state, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 6 shows a booklet of four pages in its open or unfolded state, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 7 shows a booklet of four pages in its open or unfolded state, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 8 shows a booklet of five pages in its open or unfolded state, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 9 shows a booklet of three pages in its open or unfolded state, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 10 shows a booklet that includes a fold-out chart of four pages and another fold-out codex of four pages, according to an example embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of an embodiment of the present invention. It will be evident, however, to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details.

Reference will be made to the several FIGS. 1-8 that depict example embodiments of booklet suitable for inclusion in a disc case or similar case.

Referring to FIG. 1, A disc case 101 suitable for use with a booklet according to some example embodiments may be designed with a transparent case cover 112, the disc case cover provided with small tabs 107 or protrusions along its top 113 and bottom 106 edges. The case cover may be hinged at 104 to a disc-stowing portion of the case 102 having an indentation and centre mount to receive the disc, that part of the case having a thickened spine at 105. The case cover may also include front 108 and back 109 ridges formed into the cover. The booklet may be placed so its spine or fold is adjacent to the spine of the case 105 when the case 101 is closed. FIG. 2 illustrates a detailed view of one corner of a disc case cover including a cover face 103, front ridge 201, top edge 113 and one cover tab 107.

FIG. 3 illustrates a disc case booklet, according to an example embodiment, shown in perspective in a partially open state, as if it were being blown by wind blowing toward the direction indicated by the arrow 301. The first page 306, which may be a front cover, may be of such a height as to fit precisely between the cover edges 106 and 113 of a disc case. The remaining pages 303, 304, and 307 may be (for example, by cutting away) of a lesser height, the lesser height being selected so that these remaining pages can swing or rotate freely around the booklets spine 305 without contacting the tabs 107 and whole at the same time remaining flat—lesser height being such as to allow, for example, the page 303 to be swung or rotated around the spine without the necessity to bend the page to avoid contacting the tabs 107. In some embodiments, the lesser height may be chosen to be just slightly less than the distance between the proximal points of two opposite cover tabs, where opposite cover tabs may be defined, in some embodiments, as cover tabs not attached to a common cover edge.

The differentiation in height between the first page 302 and the remaining pages 303, 304, and 307 can be clearly seen by inspection of the corner region of the first page 302, indicated in FIG. 3 at reference 306. It will be appreciated that in some embodiments, several pages, in some embodiments adjacent, may be fabricated to the greater height of the first page.

To place a booklet, such as that shown in FIG. 3, into the cover 103, the user may slide the first page 302 over one of the ridges 108 or 109, and between the tabs 107 and the cover face 103 in such a way that the remaining pages 303, 304, and 307 are not between the first page 302 and the cover face 103. This can be understood (with reference to FIG. 2) in other words as follows: The tabs 107 each have a bottom and top surface, the bottom surface facing toward the disc cover face. The bottom surfaces of the tabs 107 substantially define a plane and it is between this plane and the cover face 103 that the first page 302 is disposed when inserted into the disc case cover. In this position, the top and side edges of the first page 302 contact or are adjacent to the top edge of the case cover 106 and the front ridge 201, respectively. In some embodiments, it is conceivable that a disc case cover might have only one cover tab on each cover edge rather than two as shown in FIG. 1. In that case, the plane may be defined by any of the tabs.

In some embodiments, the widths of all the pages are such that the booklet, when placed into a disc case cover, fits between, and is kept from sliding, by the ridges 108 and 109 at the front and back of the cover. In some other embodiments, the widths of some pages may vary.

The spine of the booklet 305 may be implemented by any number of methods including a simple fold, the stapling together of two or more sheets, or for particularly thick booklet, by any method common to bookbinding or other arts.

It will be appreciated that in some embodiments, it may be advantageous to make the first page of a greater thickness than some or all of the remaining pages. This may be done in several ways, such as, for example, making the first page out of cardstock or cardboard.

Once the booklet is inserted into the disc cover 112 and the booklet is closed, the disc case may, in some embodiments, appear to the user as shown in FIG. 4. In FIG. 4, the case 401 is shown open, with the disc 406 fixed to the hub 405 within its indentation 404. The spine of the disc case as whole is shown at 403. The booklet is in place in the front cover with the front (for example, higher) page 408 placed between the cover tabs 407 and the cover face. The back (for example, lesser height) page 409 can be clearly seen to be able to swing away from the cover around the booklet's spine 411. The booklet is placed between the front ridge 410 (which in some disc cases comprises two or more segments, as shown here) and back ridge 402. The FIGS. 5-9 illustrate various embodiments of a booklet which may be formed from a single sheet of material. In some embodiments, such as those illustrated in FIGS. 5-9, a single sheet of material may have several fold lines defined upon it. The sheet may be cut, trimmed, punched, or otherwise formed into the unfolded shape of the booklet, and may then be folded along the fold lines to form the completed booklet suitable for disposition with respect to a disc case cover. For the purposes of this specification, the set of the various fold lines (or folds coincident with such fold lines) may delineate the various pages in the booklet, while the set of the fold lines, in conjunction with the actual edges of the shape to be folded into a booklet may be said to define the various pages, and by extension, may define their various heights and widths.

FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment in which the booklet is formed from a single sheet of paper or similar material. In the embodiment illustrated, the booklet includes a first page 501, a second page 502 and a spine, which in some embodiments, is a fold coinciding with the fold line 503 delineating the two pages. The first page 501 may be inserted between the cover tabs 107 and cover face 103, with the second page able to be pivoted open around the fold 503 without removing the booklet from the case cover. It will be appreciated that in some embodiments, such as, for example, that shown in FIG. 3, the front and back cover of booklet may be formed from a single sheet, as illustrated in FIG. 5, to which further folded sheets, constituting the remaining pages in the booklet, may be stapled or otherwise joined. FIG. 6 illustrates another embodiment, in which a first page 601 may be similarly inserted, and the remaining pages 602, 603, and 604 opened and viewed without removing the booklet from the case cover. In the embodiment of FIG. 6, the fold lines 605, 606, and 607 delineate the four pages of the booklet, with a fold coinciding with fold line 605 being considered a spine of the booklet. It will be appreciated that the folds of the booklet of FIG. 6 may be taken is various directions to create, for example a fanfold type of booklet, or a ‘roll out’ type of booklet.

Although in rightward-reading writing systems it is usual for the spine of a booklet to be placed on the left, and some embodiments are constructed that way, it may also be advantageous, in some embodiments, to place a booklet's spine on the right, so that when the booklet is opened while remaining in the case cover, the disc-bearing part 102 of the case may give support to the folded-out page(s).

In some embodiments, it may be advantageous to include in a disc booklet a large table, image, maps, or other matter that is displayed to advantage on a sheet higher and/or wider than a typical disc case. FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate embodiments that are useful for such including such matter in a disc booklet. FIG. 7 illustrates a four-page booklet, in which fold lines 705, 706, and 707 delineate four pages 701, 702, 703, and 704, where 701 may be considered the front cover of the booklet, and may be inserted between the cover face 103 and cover tabs 107. As with the embodiment of FIG. 6, the folds' directions may be chosen by the designer, in some examples, according to the matter to be printed in the booklet. The narrow cut-out 708 may be included to facilitate easier folding. A fold coincident with fold line 705 may be considered a spine of the booklet. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 7, it will be appreciated that the pages 702, 703, and 704 may be sized such that when the booklet is folded in its stowed position, the pages 702, 703, and 704 all lie parallel to the first page 701, without contacting the cover tabs 107 and do not extend beyond the width of the first page 701.

FIG. 8 illustrates another embodiment suited for presenting a large format image or other matter within a disc booklet. In this embodiment, five fold lines 806, 807, 808, 809, and 810 delineate five pages 801, 802, 803, 804, and 805. Page 801 may be considered the front cover and may be inserted between the cover tabs 107 and cover face 103, with the remaining pages folded so that, in their closed state, they lie flat against the case cover face yet can be unfolded for viewing their content without removing the booklet from the case cover. It will be appreciated that in some embodiments, folds 809 and 807 may be folded the same direction, while in other embodiments, folds 806 and 808 may be folded in the same direction. A fold or crease coincident with fold line 810 may be considered a spine of the booklet. Analogously with the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 7, in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 8 the four pages 802, 803, 804, and 805 may be sized so that when the booklet is folded in its stowed position, the pages 802, 803, 804, and 805 all lie parallel to the first page 801, without contacting the cover tabs 107 and do not extend beyond the width of the first page 801.

FIG. 9 shows yet another embodiment, in which two fold lines 904 and 905 delineate three pages 901, 902, and 903. In this embodiment, the two outer pages 902 and 903 may be folded in front of the first page 901 to form a ‘triptych’ type booklet, with the first page 901 being inserted between the cover face and cover tabs. Either a fold coincident with fold line 904 or 905 may define the booklets spine in this embodiment. Although the figures mentioned above show how a booklet could be formed from a single sheet by folding, these same booklet configurations could be created from separate sheets, where each sheet contains one or more pages, which are then joined together by stapling or other binding process. In some embodiments, the binding could be done by means of a very small comb or a small helical wire.

FIG. 10 presents an example embodiment in which the booklet includes a large fold-out chart section 1007 on the right hand side and a codex 1008 on the left-hand side, in which a combination of fold lines and stapled-together sheets delineate a total of nine pages 1011, 1012, 1013, 1014, 1015, 1016, 1017, 1018, and 1019. The first or cover page 1015 is shown in position between the cover tabs 1002, 1003, 1004 and 1005 and the cover face (not numbered), and also between the cover edges 1001 and 1006. The codex portion is bound with two staples at 1010 and the various folds delineating pages at 1020, 1021, 1022, 1023, 1024, and 1025, as well as the fold defining the stapled spine of the codex portion 1008. A fold, coincident with fold line 1020, may be considered the spine of the booklet. It will be appreciated that both the chart portion 1007 and the codex portion 1008 can be completely unfolded for viewing as well as completely folded up for storage without any of the pages included in these parts needing to be slid under, come in contact with, or be bent around the cover tabs 1002-1005. In embodiments of booklets, such as, for example, that shown in FIG. 10, it may be advantageous to place a fold-out chart type portion on the right so that it can receive support from the disc-bearing portion 102 of the disc case.

It will be appreciated that FIGS. 3-10 are presented only an example embodiments and that numerous booklet forms are possible depending on the matter to be presented in the booklet and the desire of the booklet designer. Moreover, although the booklets illustrated in FIGS. 5-9 are formed into multiple pages by folding from a single sheet, it will be appreciated that analogous as well as dissimilar booklet designs may be created from multiple sheets stapled or bound together by various methods to create booklets of complex construction.

Although an embodiment of the present invention has been described with reference to specific example embodiments, it will be evident that various modifications and changes may be made to these embodiments without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. The accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, show by way of illustration, and not of limitation, specific embodiments in which the subject matter may be practiced. The embodiments illustrated are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the teachings disclosed herein. Other embodiments may be utilized and derived therefrom, such that structural and logical substitutions and changes may be made without departing from the scope of this disclosure. This Detailed Description, therefore, is not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of various embodiments is defined only by the appended claims, along with the full range of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.

Such embodiments of the inventive subject matter may be referred to herein, individually and/or collectively, by the term “invention” merely for convenience and without intending to voluntarily limit the scope of this application to any single invention or inventive concept if more than one is in fact disclosed. Thus, although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, it should be appreciated that any arrangement calculated to achieve the same purpose may be substituted for the specific embodiments shown. This disclosure is intended to cover any and all adaptations or variations of various embodiments. Combinations of the above embodiments, and other embodiments not specifically described herein, will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description.

The Abstract of the Disclosure is provided to comply with 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b), requiring an abstract that will allow the reader to quickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. In addition, in the foregoing Detailed Description, it can be seen that various features are grouped together in a single embodiment for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments require more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment. 

1. A booklet including: a first page having a first height; a second page connected to the first page and having a second height less than the first height; and a spine defining a line around which the second page can be rotated, wherein the booklet can be disposed with respect to a disc case cover having a cover face, a cover tab having a first surface facing the cover face, a first cover edge, and a second cover edge opposite the first cover edge, the distance between the cover edges being substantially equal to the first height, so as to have its first page lie substantially flat between the cover face and the first surface and its second page capable of rotating around the line while remaining substantially flat and without the second page contacting the cover tab.
 2. The booklet of claim 1, wherein the first page and second page are the only pages in the booklet.
 3. The booklet of claim 1, wherein the connection between the first page and the second page includes a staple.
 4. The booklet of claim 1, further including at least one page in addition to the first page and the second page.
 5. The booklet of claim 1, wherein the booklet includes at least one page in addition to the first page and the second page, and wherein the first page, the second page, and the least one page in addition to the first page and the second page are delineated by at least two folds in a single sheet, and wherein one of the folds constitutes the spine.
 6. The booklet of claim 1, wherein the booklet includes one binding, the binding constituting the spine.
 7. The booklet of claim 1, wherein the booklet includes at least two bindings, one of which constitutes the spine.
 8. The booklet of claim 1, wherein the booklet includes multiple pages so that when the booklet is fully opened, the booklet lies substantially flat and substantially forms a rectangle.
 9. The booklet of claim 1 wherein the booklet includes multiple pages so that when fully opened, the booklet lies substantially flat and substantially forms a rectangle whose height and width are substantially greater than the height and width of a single page from the multiple pages.
 10. The booklet of claim 1 wherein the booklet includes multiple pages so that when the booklet is at least partially opened, at least some pages from the multiple pages lie substantially flat and substantially form a rectangle whose height and width are substantially greater than the height and width of a single page from the multiple pages.
 11. The booklet of claim 1 wherein the booklet includes a codex portion in addition to the first page.
 12. A method including: inserting a booklet into a disc case cover, wherein the disc case cover has a cover face, a cover tab having a first surface facing the cover face, a first cover edge, a second cover edge being a first distance opposite the first cover edge, and a cover tab, wherein the booklet includes: a first page having a first height substantially equal to the first distance; a second page, connected to the first page, having a second height less than the first height; and a spine defining a line around which the second page can be rotated, wherein the inserting includes placing the booklet in such a position that the first page lies substantially flat between the cover face and the first surface, and wherein the second page can rotate around the line while remaining substantially flat and without contacting the cover tab.
 13. An article of manufacture including a booklet including: a first page having a first height, a second page connected to the first page and having a second height less than the first height, and a spine defining a line around which the second page can be rotated; and a disc case cover, having a cover face, a cover tab having a first surface facing the cover face, a first cover edge, and a second cover edge opposite the first cover edge, the distance between the cover edges being substantially equal to the first height, wherein the booklet is disposed with respect to the disc case cover so as to have the first page lie substantially flat between the cover face and the first surface, and its second page capable of rotating around the line while remaining substantially flat and without the second page contacting the cover tab.
 14. The article of claim 13, further including a disc stowing portion.
 15. The article of claim 14, wherein the second page, when rotated around the line, can be brought substantially into contact with the disc stowing portion.
 16. The article of claim 13, wherein the first page and the second page are the only pages in the booklet.
 17. The article of claim 13, wherein the connection between the first page and the second page include a staple.
 18. The article of claim 13, wherein the booklet further includes at least one page in addition to the first page and second page.
 19. The article claim 13, wherein the booklet includes at least one page in addition to the first page and second page, and wherein the at least three pages are delineated by folds in a single sheet.
 20. The article of claim 13, wherein the booklet includes one binding.
 21. The article of claim 13, wherein the booklet includes at least two bindings.
 22. A method including: manufacturing a first page having a first height; manufacturing a second page having a second height less than the first height; and connecting the first page and the second page, so that a spine is formed that defines a line around which the second page can be rotated, wherein a booklet including the first page and the second page can be so disposed with respect to a disc case cover having a cover face, a cover tab having a first surface facing the cover face, a first cover edge, and a second cover edge opposite the first cover edge, the distance between the cover edges being substantially equal to the first height, so as to have its first page lie substantially flat between the cover face and the first surface and its second page capable of rotating around the line while remaining substantially flat and without the second page contacting the cover tab.
 23. A method including: defining a set of fold lines on a sheet of material, the set of fold lines including a first fold line; forming a shape having at least one edge from the sheet of material; and folding the sheet to form a first fold substantially coincident with the first fold line, wherein at least two pages are defined by the edges of the shape and the fold lines, and wherein the first fold forms a boundary between a first page having a first height and a second page having a second height less than the first height, such that a booklet including the first page and the second page can be so disposed with respect to a disc case cover having a cover face, a cover tab having a first surface facing the cover face, a first cover edge, and a second cover edge opposite the first cover edge in which the distance between the cover edges is substantially equal to the first height so as to have the first page lie substantially flat between the cover face and the first surface and the second page capable of rotating around a line defined by the first fold while remaining substantially flat and without the second page contacting the cover tab.
 24. The method of claim 23, wherein the material is paper.
 25. The method of claim 23, wherein the forming is performed subsequent to the folding.
 26. The method of claim 23, wherein the folding is performed subsequent to the forming. 